Ottawa: A 44-year-old Hindu man and his family were performing a small religious ceremony in the Streetsville park in Mississauga city, Canada recently when two teens approached them and started abusing them. They also assaulted the man and threw rocks at him.
The man was able to flee from the park with his family in the car. The accused kept throwing rocks at them while they were leaving the park resulting in damage to the car. The victim went to the hospital, where he was treated for the injuries. As per the doctors, his injuries were not life-threatening. The wife and two children escaped unharmed.
Nishan Duraiappah, Peel Police Chief, issued a statement that the Police department would not tolerate such hate crimes in Peel which is known for its diversity and culture. He said, “The abundance of rich culture and diversity that we have here in Peel region is one of our many strengths. Being able to practice and celebrate one’s faith in peace and safety is a fundamental right here in Canada. Those responsible for the crime will be identified and appropriate action will be taken against them.”
Police said that the attackers had been described as 16 and 18 years old. They both had dark hair. One of the attackers is believed to be white, while the second one was an Asian. In the official statement released on Peel Police’s website, the police has requested the witnesses to come forward and provide whatever evidence they might have of the incident, including dashcam videos if any.
As per the police, the members from the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Bureau have initiated the Reassurance Protocol to ensure social support and relevant services to the family, if needed.
Crimes against Hindus
This is not the first time Hindus faced hate crimes in Canada. In recent times, the global Hindu diaspora came together to fight against a well-planned attempt of the Hinduphobic gang that organized an anti-Hindu conference named Dismantling Global Hindutva.
Since farmer protests broke down in India, several cases of hate crimes against Hindus have been reported, especially in Canada. During Holi celebrations in April this year, a group of around 100 protesters barged into the area where around 400 Hindus were celebrating Holi. They started shouting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government. They also blocked the route on which the Tiranga Yatra was supposed to take place. The event was delayed for around three hours. reportedly, Khalistani flags were raised by the protestors.
